Losing Recess as Punishment

I agree with you that is not the thing to take away. Children need that time to run and play, especially when they are under 10. They need the break from the structure of the classroom. Sadly though it is the first thing they do for punishment. Take away the recess. For some it might work but for most all it does is make them more restless and frustrated. They need to figure out something better then that for kids.

My grandson, who is in Kindergarten, got in trouble at school [he was misbehaving at lunch time in the cafeteria] and they did the same thing to him. They tried to make him sit out recess the next day. He had an impossible time just sitting there so his teacher went over to him and took his hand [NOT in a mean way or anything, just to hold his hand and guide him] and he jerked his hand back from her and when he did, the teacher fell down on the ground. OMG, everyone acted like this tiny 45 pound kindergarten had committed a horrible crime! Everyone at school over-reacted. He was sent to the principal [that part is understandable], and the principal called us [I was the only one home at the time and didn't have the car, my daughter was at the store]. The principal was calling to tell us to come pick up my grandson and that he wasn't allowed back at school until after we all had a parent/teacher/principal meeting in two days. When I told her that I didn't have the car to come pick him up, the principal offered to drive him home right then. And she really did too. So, he stayed home for several days, then we went to the meeting where we found out that the teacher was just fine, only a little sore and that he had jerked his arm back and that's how she fell down. The teacher also said how betrayed she felt that he would jerk away from her like that. My daughter and I came away from the meeting thinking that the teacher was sort of, well, not in touch with reality and real live children and that everyone at the school had over-reacted to something that was an accident. Plus the whole problem started because they took a little guy who has a hard time sitting still anyway and then made him watch his friends running around at recess. Seems like a form of torture to me and it's a real bad idea to make them sit still. I like the idea of them having the child do something, pick up trash, take papers from one spot to another, anything at all that involves movement and NOT sitting still. I am glad that they don't let principal's and teachers hit the kids anymore like they did when I was a kid.

I think it was a bad call on her part especially if your nephew had ants in his pants already. My Jared was a wiggle bottom , and his grade 3 teacher, used to ask him to do things for her. This would get him out of his seat for abit and this usually worked for him

Omg the first response was exacly what I was going to say. Take away the paddle and what do they have left? The only thing they can take away from the kid is recess. If they give the kid write offs the kid can just refuse.

I agree with you that the punishment certainly didn't fit the occasion very well, but I think today the teachers are so limited as to what they can do for punishment that they are at a loss when it comes time to actually punish a child.

im sorry but your nephew should really learn to control himself